TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
£11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
£9,535 per year
The annual tuition fee is fully funded via Student Finance England for eligible home-fee students.
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
£9,000 per year
You may also be eligible for a bursary or discount, please enquire with our friendly Admissions Team.
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
£7,500 per year
You may also be eligible for a bursary or discount, please enquire with our friendly Admissions Team.
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
£11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
£9,535 per year
The annual tuition fee is fully funded via Student Finance England for eligible home-fee students.
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
£11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
£9,535 per year
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
£11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
£9,535 per year
The annual tuition fee is fully funded via Student Finance England for eligible home-fee students.
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
JANUARY 2026
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
FROM SEPTEMBER 2026
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £17,000 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,250 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £9,535 per year
*Student visa required
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £17,000 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,250 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £9,535 per year
*Student visa required
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
JANUARY 2026
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
FROM SEPTEMBER 2026
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £17,000 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,250 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £9,535 per year
*Student visa required
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £17,000 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,250 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £9,535 per year
*Student visa required
TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:
JANUARY 2026
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
FROM SEPTEMBER 2026
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £17,000 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,440 per year
THREE-YEAR DEGREE:
International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,250 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £9,535 per year
*Student visa required
January and September
January and September
January and September
January and September
September
Offers will be made to applicants who are expected to meet, or exceed the entry requirements below, in addition to supplying a personal statement:
SAE Institute will accept non-standard entry applications, which do not meet the 72 UCAS points or equivalent, and/or maths/English at level 2 or equivalent as required:
Students whose first language is not English will need a qualification that demonstrates competence in English, equivalent to UK GCSE (Level 2) grade 4 (c) or above.
Equivalent qualifications can be accepted, where these qualifications have been verified by ENIC and are adopted widely within the UK Higher Education sector, including:
- International ESOL C1 Expert – pass in all four components
- International ESOL SELT B2 (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) – minimum 33 in all components
- ESOL Integrated Skills in English II – pass in all components
*Accepted on exceptional basis for the applicants whose local test centres are affected by closures due to Covid-19
WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
- Learn the fundamentals of 3D Game Art from concept to in-engine
- Build characters, creatures, props and environments for real-time engines
- Learn sculpting, modelling, texturing and animation
- Work with industry standard software and studio workflows
- Collaborate with Games Design, Programming, VFX and Audio students
- Build a professional art and animation portfolio
- Learn project management and professional workflows
- Taught by industry active artists and animators
- Graduate in two years on the accelerated route
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN?
- Develop digital drawing and concept design skills
- Model and texture 3D assets using Autodesk Maya
- Create materials and surfaces using Substance Painter
- Sculpt characters and portraits using ZBrush
- Animate characters using walk cycles and body mechanics
- Apply physically based rendering for realistic assets
- Design modular environments for real-time games
- Build full character pipelines from concept to rigging
- Collaborate on cross-disciplinary game projects
- Build a professional game art and animation portfolio
YOUR GAME ART & ANIMATION JOURNEY BEGINS TODAY
What you can expect from your GAME ART AND ANIMATION degree
If you see a career in games development as a game art and animation professional in your future, SAE’s pioneering game art degree combines fundamental games theories with practical projects to set you up for success. Choose to study as an accelerated game art degree, structured across 2 years so you can launch into the industry sooner, or a more traditional university study program of 3 years which takes into account university summer breaks each year.
As you progress through your games art degree, you’ll master a range of both technical and practical industry-relevant skills. With access to our cutting-edge computer labs, you’ll grasp industry-standard software packages including Autodesk Maya, Substance Painter, Unreal Engine, SideFX Houdini, Foundry NukeX, Pixologic ZBrush and the Adobe Creative Suite.
Throughout the course you’ll be guided and mentored by SAE’s Experts – successful industry professionals with a wealth of specialist knowledge to share. As well as gaining practical game art and animation skills, you’ll develop well-rounded abilities as you prepare research reports, explore intellectual property and learn to problem solve across a range of real-world creative projects.
As part of your degree in game art you’ll collaborate with peers from within your course, as well as those across other SAE disciplines, gaining a strong understanding of operational dynamics within the creative industries. Embracing a teamwork mindset, you’ll complete projects that showcase your technical skills as you gain tangible experience in a professional environment and create art you’ll be proud to add to your portfolio.
From modelling to rendering and everything in between, you’ll cover the full spectrum of SAE’s signature game art degree before graduating career ready. Whether your dream is to work as an artist, designer, animator, technical director or something else entirely, your journey towards a rewarding games career starts with SAE.
START MY GAME ART & ANIMATION JOURNEY
Course FAQs
What is the Game Art and Animation degree at SAE?
A practical creative degree that teaches you how to design, model, texture and animate characters, environments and assets for games and real-time engines.
Is this different from Games Design and Games Programming?
Yes. Game Art focuses on the visual side of games, not coding or gameplay design.
Is the course creative or technical?
Both. You develop artistic skill and learn real-time technical workflows used in game studios.
How is the course taught?
Through studio-style, hands-on project work with constant skill building, critique and portfolio development.
Which study routes are available?
- Two year accelerated degree, UCAS code IW63
- Three year standard degree, UCAS code GA30
What projects will I work on?
2D and 3D characters, environments, props, animation cycles, real-time engine assets, collaborative game projects and a professional final showreel.
- Year 1
Digital drawing, concept art, 3D modelling, texturing, sculpting, animation fundamentals and real-time engine integration - Year 2
Character art, environment art, animation refinement, technical workflows, Advanced Specialist Project and Final Major Project
This fast-paced route is ideal if you want to graduate and enter industry sooner.
- Year 1
Foundations in digital drawing, concept design, 3D modelling, texturing and animation - Year 2
Character and environment development, animation systems, lighting and real-time workflows - Year 3
Full specialisation, studio-scale projects, professional portfolio and Final Major Project
This route gives you more time to experiment, refine skills and explore specialisms.
- Graduate one year earlier
- Save £7,000 in tuition fees
- Enter the games industry sooner
- Keep momentum through three trimesters per year
- Build a complete portfolio in a shorter time
This route suits students ready for intensive, practical study and early career progression.
- Study at a more relaxed pace
- More time to experiment, practise and refine creative skills
- Build confidence across 2D, 3D and animation
- Excellent for students balancing work or personal commitments
- Longer timeframe to produce a polished showreel and portfolio
This route suits students who want depth and flexibility in their learning.
What facilities do students use?
High-performance computer labs, 3D production suites, rendering tools and access to Games Programming, VFX and Film facilities.
Do I need my own computer?
No. All required hardware is available on campus, although many students choose to bring personal laptops or drawing tablets.
What software do students use?
Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Photoshop, Unreal Engine and animation and rendering tools.
Do students get exclusive deals?
Yes. SAE students receive exclusive educational licences and industry software discounts, giving access to professional tools at reduced or free student rates.
Will I have access to any game development software outside of campus?
Yes. You can access game development software for free on campus. When working off campus, you can take advantage of student discounts to purchase or subscribe to relevant software for personal use.
Academic support, learning guidance, wellbeing services, mental health support and careers support are available throughout your studies.
Domestic Students
- Level 3 qualification or equivalent
- GCSE English and Mathematics at grades A to C, or 9 to 4, or equivalent
- Personal statement
- No portfolio required
Non-standard entry may include:
- A creative portfolio
- An academic essay
- Relevant experience
International Students
Entry requirements vary by country and include English language proficiency where applicable.
To view our full entry requirements, please click here.
Is Student Finance available?
Yes, for both the two year and three year degrees.
How are fees paid?
Through Student Finance, direct payment or approved funding routes.
Are scholarships available?
Yes. Scholarships and bursaries may be available, and the best way to access these is to apply for the course first. Even after you apply, you can still apply for scholarships.
Are there extra costs?
Optional costs include personal equipment, external storage and travel for industry opportunities.
Graduates enter roles such as: Character Artist, Environment Artist, Animator, Rigger, Texture Artist, Lighting Artist, 3D Generalist and Technical Artist.
Skills also transfer to VFX, film, TV, VR, architectural visualisation, simulation and digital media.
- Go to the UCAS website
- Choose IW63 (2 year accelerated) or GA30 (3 year standard)
- Upload your qualifications and personal statement
- Submit the application
- Receive your offer
- Accept your place through UCAS
- Go to the SAE application form:
https://www.sae.edu/gbr/form/application-form/ - Complete the online application form and submit your details.
- Once your application is received, a member of the SAE admissions team will contact you to discuss your application and next steps.
- If your application is successful, you will be offered a place on the course.
- Accept your offer and complete enrolment, with the SAE team supporting you throughout the process and staying in contact with you right up until your start date.
- Start your course and begin learning, collaborating and taking the next step in your Game Art and Animation career.
Top tip: For peace of mind, applying directly to SAE is often faster than applying through UCAS and is ideal for international or late applicants.
Any questions?
For any questions regarding our courses or if you’d like more information on how to apply for our Game Art & Animation degree at SAE, please contact our Enquiries Team on 03330 112 315 or email ukadmissions@sae.edu.
